Nobody Said it was Easy
by violets92
Summary: Tony's leaving. Kate's angry. Everyone's upset. TATE if you want it to be. Strong friendship if you don't want it to be tate.


No Twilight. No death. Let's just say fourth season without Ziva. Or Jeanne. Or anyone except the team really...

The Scientist

_Nobody said it was easy  
It's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be this hard  
Oh take me back to the start_

-"The Scientist" by Coldplay

* * *

Kate rounded the corner into the bullpen to see Tony at his desk, half his belongings packed. She sighed and went over to his desk. He had handed in his resignation two weeks ago. It was only just hitting her now that he was leaving. She'd never have another paperclip chucked at her again. For some reason, that made her feel worse than it should have.

"Need help packing?" She asked bitterly, her voice filled with emotion.

"Nope." He grinned and shut off his computer. She fought down the urge to strangle him. How the hell could he be so light-hearted?

"So you're seriously leaving huh?" Kate was lucky the light in the office was dim, so that her partner, no, _ex-partner_, couldn't see her tears and bloodshot eyes.

"I guess so." Tony's smile had vanished and his eyes had fixed on the woman standing before him. "Are you crying Kate?" He asked, concerned. She was going to deny it, but there really wasn't any point. It was too obvious. Plus, what was the point when she was never going to see the man again?

"Yeah, yeah I am." She sniffed and wiped a few tears from her face.

"Why?" That just set Kate off.

"Why? _Why_? God dammit Tony! You're leaving! How can you expect me not to cry after you announce you're quitting? Six years Tony! Four with me, and you just decide to up and leave?"

"I didn't _just__decide_ Kate! I thought it through for a whole entire month! I told you two weeks ago. Shouldn't you be over it by now?" His voice was raised and Kate had more tears running down her cheeks.

"Over it? Would you be?" She yelled. Tony had only once heard her yell like that. Isolation. Apparently dying evoked the same emotions in her as leaving did.

"What?"

"If I decided after four years to quit, would you get over it in two weeks? Tell me Tony, because I really want to know."

"No, but that's different."

"How? How is it different? I'm you partner. We sit opposite each other. You're no different than I am!"

"It just is okay? This is me we're talking about, not you." Kate made an exasperated sound, put her hands on his desk and leant towards him, a menacing glare on her face.

"No. It's not just about you. It's about all of us. It's about Gibbs, Abby, McGee and Ducky as well. You want to know where Gibbs is now? He's working on his boat. Last time I called him he sounded completely pissed drunk. Wanna know why?"

"Kate-"

"Because he thinks of you as some kind of son. God knows why. He must be insane. A son wouldn't pick up and leave after six years. McGee hasn't talked all day. He hasn't cracked one joke or grinned once. Why? Because he knows no-one will be there to tell him to pull a prank by tomorrow. He'll have no-one too look up to. Ducky hasn't told us a story all day. It's as if he thinks no-one is going to listen. And Abby? Yeah, she's down in her lab bawling her eyes out. The only reason I'm up here and not telling her false lies to make her feel better, is because I needed to tell you why you're making the stupidest decision of your life."

"I-"

"I mean, I know you can't commit to women, but for once in your life, couldn't you just stay somewhere and not take off because it's been more than a few years? None of us want you to leave. You may be arrogant, egotistical, annoying and downright rude sometimes but it never meant we wanted you to leave."

"What about you?" Tony leant down to his partner and looked her in the eye.

"Wha-"

"Why don't you want me to leave?" Kate got up and moved into the middle of the office, muttering something under her breath. "What was that Kate?" He walked up to her and she turned around fiercely.

"Because you're my partner! Because I need you to stay." The tears hadn't stopped.

"Why? _Why _do you need me to stay Katie?"

"Because I love you, dammit! And because no matter how many replacements we go through, none of them are ever going to throw a paperclip at me like you did." She yelled.

No-one was in the office but them, but they wouldn't have noticed anyway. Tony didn't flinch, but instead smiled and took Kate and wrapped his arms around her waist. She cried into his shoulder and he just kept holding her until all the tears were gone. Slowly, he stepped back and giving her one last grin, he walked back to his desk.

"What are you doing?" She asked in confusion.

"Unpacking extra stuff from home like I was doing before all this." He smiled. Kate let out a small laugh.

"You weren't going to leave were you? It was just a test?"

"Nope. And yeah." Kate shook her head in amusement and frustration before starting to gather her things to go home. When she stood up, Tony was standing barely inches from her. She gasped in surprise.

"Scare the crap out of me why don't you?"

"Sorry."

"Why are you standing here?" Her voice held a tone of false annoyance. He smirked and bent down to whisper in her ear.

"Because I wanted to tell you that I love you too. I always did." And with that, he kissed her on the cheek and went back to unpacking. Kate smiled and began to walk out, stopping and turning around one more time.

"Good. See you on Monday DiNozzo. You'd better not be late again. I'm not going to cover for you again."

* * *

A/N: Random, I know, but I do love reviews! 


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